Snowdon cafe will be known as Hafod

Snowdonia National Park Authority members voted to name the new Snowdon summit centre Hafod Eryri.

Fittingly, it doesn’t really translate into English, being something like Snowdonia’s high farm building. Sounds more romantic in Welsh.

Blithely ignoring grough’s suggestions of Unnecessary or Syphilis, the authority members plumped for the suggestion of Harlech man Phil Mosert, whose entry was chosen from more than 400.

Chief executive Aneurin Phillips said: “We have been amazed by the tremendous response.

“We have received 422 suggestions from all over the world and we obviously wish to thank the public for suggesting so many of the names which were in front of members today.

“Suggestions were received via e-mails, telephone calls, letters and people calling in at the national park office and we have been greatly encouraged because so many people have gone to the trouble to contact us voluntary [sic].

“Following this response, we were anxious to have a detailed and fair discussion and an interesting and constructive discussion. We definitely had that today and we are very proud to announce that Hafod Eryri is the name chosen.”

The University of Wales’ A Dictionary of the Welsh Language defines hafod as: summer residence, upland farmstead formerly occupied in transhumanance during the summer months only; upland farm on which grazing is practised to a greater extent than cultivation; farm which is managed by a resident bailiff on behalf of the tenant or owner. Even grough is forced to admit that hafod is more succinct. Eryri is the Welsh term for Snowdonia.

The centre’s project manager David Archer said the authority's priorities had been to come up with a memorable name easy for visitors to pronounce, which could be used in branding the building, and which was Welsh.

He said: “I suppose it will be shortened to Hafod. That's an easily pronounceable name that will be picked up by people.”

And the authority was hoping that the term 'cafe' would not be used for the new centre once it opens in 2008.

“It's more than somewhere where you can just have a quick cup of tea. There's a lot more to experience than simply going into a cafe.”

Like walking up an unsullied mountain perhaps? If only.

The new name will be chiselled into the stone in the next few weeks. Runners-up were Pen y Wyddfa, meaning Top of Snowdon, and Copa, Welsh for summit.

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